I first traveled to Alaska in the summer – as most people do. I fell in love with the people and the landscape – I personally think it’s America’s most beautiful state and consistently falls in my top 5 places to visit in the entire world.…
“I thought I’d have to get married to travel to Tahiti,” my friend and solo traveler Lisa said to me while we were sipping pina coladas on the upper deck of Windstar’s Star Breeze. Lisa joined me and a few other friends on this Windstar…
The W and O treks are undoubtedly popular ways to experience Torres del Paine National Park, but they are not the only options. As the number of tourists on these trails continues to rise, I’m thrilled to introduce you to a new way to…
Join me on an epic journey to Torres Del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia! I’m so excited to offer this unique way to experience and see the park as well as immerse yourself in the estancia culture of the region. In 2023, I took…
Welcome to the shell-abration – where lobster is the center of attention. You might even say it’s the lob-star! Not only did I eat an incredible amount of lobster the week I was at the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl, but I also heard so many…
Being a non-skier in Colorado can be perplexing to people. People often question why I moved to Colorado if I don’t ski. Of course, that’s ludicrous – there are so many things to do in the Colorado Rockies besides skiing! It’s inevitable…
Japan is having a travel heyday right now – and rightfully so – it’s an incredible country. In fact, it’s one of my favorite countries to travel to. However, in my quest to find the lesser-traveled places wherever I go, I spent a lot of…
Northern Lights photography is not like other night photography; it has challenges that go way beyond normal night photography challenges – namely…the cold! You only get Northern Lights in the winter when you have those gorgeous dark skies…
I was surprised that many people don’t even have Alaska on their radar for Northern Lights trips! Go do a search and you’ll be inundated with Iceland and Norway, but Alaska is still a bit of an outlier. And you know what that means? It’s…
Welcome to ‘Interior Alaska’ – the land between the mountains. Fairbanks sits in the center of the state and is the jumping-off point for visiting the high Arctic. One of the few big landlocked towns in Alaska, Fairbanks is often…
Ireland is a land of enchanting landscapes and captivating folklore. Its allure lies in its seamless blend of history and natural wonders. From majestic cliffs and mountains to lush green valleys, we’ll explore the diverse natural wonders…
People walk pilgrimage routes for different reasons; religion, looking for change, outdoor adventure, or healing from a personal crisis. Sometimes, it’s all of them at once. That’s what it was like for me when I walked along the…
My mom and I turned into the French Mountain parking lot in Cape Breton’s Highlands National Park. After pulling into a parking space I walked over to the Skyline Trail sign. I had been told hiking the Skyline trail was one of the best…
In 1984 my father began a quest, albeit unconventional. He was 47 and his mission was to visit the capitols of the lower 48 states on foot, starting in Illinois, where we lived, following a counter-clockwise roadmap of his own making. By…
I know many people skip over Naples in order to get to the Amalfi Coast, however, it’s a big mistake! Naples’s food culture is one of the most vibrant in all of Italy. It wasn’t that long ago that I used to be scared of going to Naples…
Welcome to the land of fire and ice, where majestic landscapes, cascading waterfalls, and epic adventures await in small towns across Iceland. Nestled amidst the rugged terrain and dramatic fjords, these hidden gems are a haven for nature…
Note: This tour currently has one space available! If interested, please email me at info@ottsworld.com. You’ve likely heard of the Ring of Kerry – it is considered one of the finest drives in the world and it’s one of the most well-known…
Note: This tour is currently fully booked. However if you’d like to be added to the wait list – please email me at info@ottsworld.com. To really experience Ireland – you need to feel it – feel its land, its rain, its temperate climate, and…
The South Pacific region contains about 30,000 islands – it seems unfathomable – 30,000! So how in the world do you decide which ones to go to? I was faced with this question as I tried to plan my South Pacific Travel. One of my goals was…
Driving the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland is an incredible experience that allows you to witness the rugged beauty of Ireland’s west coast. However, the unpredictable Irish weather can sometimes mean that you’ll have to brave the elements.…
Cheese, beer, supper clubs, football, cows, and an old fashioned…this is what comes to mind for me when I think of Wisconsin. And I must admit – I love all of these things and these alone are things that would spur me to take a vacation in…
Since moving here, I’ve discovered so many unique and fun things to do in Denver every day. This isn’t your normal best-of list (no AI here!); you’ll find things that aren’t listed on any other list of Denver activities. I don’t like to…
I’m going to share something with you that I probably shouldn’t admit. After years of exploring the far corners of the world and working with various companies, I have a few favorite travel companies. I suppose much like parents – a travel…
There are many kinds of hiking – day hikes, multi-day hikes, long distance hiking, circuit hiking, pilgrimages, hut to hut hikes, bushwalking, thru-hikes and more. I’ve done and enjoyed them all. Over the years, I’ve gotten a lot of…
As I started the climb up the Alta Via 1 trail from Brais Lake, my body was anxious with excitement – the kind of excitement you get when you start an epic journey. This was the beginning of a day of lots of elevation gain, I just hoped…
When you think of iconic American road trips, Oregon might not be the first state that comes to mind. But why not take the ‘road trip’ less traveled – ha…see what I did there? This Oregon road trip is a must for anyone looking breathtaking…
Is it called biking if all you do is squeeze the brake and not peddle? That’s what I kept thinking to myself the entire time as I was cycling down the Gotthard Pass on old Tremola Road in Switzerland. Granted, I still had to turn (there…
For the last 16 years I’ve been creating holiday wrap up videos in place of sending holiday cards. This is one tradition I’ve been able to keep up since I started traveling in 2006. It’s great to have all of my year in review travel videos…
Quick…when I say Wisconsin – what comes to mind for you? For me, it conjures up images of rolling hills, cheese, cows, football, supper clubs, and……booze. Yes – that might not be what Wisconsin wants to be known for, but I can’t help it,…
Imagine a scene from Lord Of The Rings with an idyllic lake surrounded by soaring mountains. The lush greens of the forested slopes offset the blue water and sky. Now put a modern town at the north end of that lake, and you have Lucerne,…